Klay Thompson Signs 10-Year, $80 Million Extension With Anta

Klay Thompson made a big career move this week in China as he signed a 10-year, $80 million extension with shoe company Anta. Financially speaking, this deal puts Klay in an elite group of sneaker endorsers in the NBA. The man who scored 60 points on just 11 dribbles this past season has a goal of being the Michael Jordan of Anta. Klay’s third signature sneaker, the KT3, will come out this fall. Via Nice Kicks:

“I knew with the other brands in the States, whether it was Nike or adidas, it was going to be tough for me to get a signature shoe,” admits Klay. “I knew with Anta, I would have so much input creatively. I was going to hopefully be the Michael Jordan one day of Anta. That really resonated with me, and knowing that I could be really big in China, that was really cool to me. The shoe market sometimes is overflooded in the States, and I thought, ‘Well, why not branch out and be global.’”

Since signing with Anta, the trajectory of Thompson’s rise in the league has been dramatic, now landing him among the league’s most popular players both domestically and in China.